Does the LGBTQ Community Deserve a Reality Show to Call Their Own?

If you haven’t seen the trailers for What Happens at The Abbey, Fire Island, and/or watched Season One of Finding Prince Charming, you’re going to want to so you can join this discussion! But you’ve definitely heard the uproar as the community marches towards these shows with torches lit.

Logo’s “Fire Island” Trailer

After the severely critical reaction of “What Happens at The Abbey”, I couldn’t help think: Does the LGBTQ Community deserve a reality show? It seems to me the majority of our community has something negative to say about any show willing to advertise us, unscripted or scripted (See: HBO’s Looking). On social media, there is a virtually  endless outcry regarding the color and shape of bodies, sexual conduct, and quasi-celebrity lifestyle that is televised by members of our community.

LOGO’s “Fire Island” Cast Members

I believe the community is not loathing these shows and refusing to watch out of disinterest, but actually jealous.

Logo’s “Finding Prince Charming” Cast Members

Let me explain: When I was barely twenty-one, and believed that I looked fantastic with a bang, I was a cast member on a reality television show in my hometown gayboorhood of Chicago. The premise was simple: Watching the lives of eight LGBTQ friends live day to day. We had it all: lipstick and stud Lesbians, gender-benders, a variety of ethnicities and bodies…there was someone anyone could identify with. Collectively, we were our authentic selves. We not only discussed, but lived: racism, dating, poverty, friendships, and addiction. We truly represented parts of Chicago and the LGBTQ community.

Would-Be “Boystown” Reality Show Cast Members

However, while filming, we were mocked! We’d have beer bottles thrown at us, we were canceled from attending events, and any and every blog was making jokes about our group being too diverse! The show would eventually never see the light of day due to no fault of the cast.

“What Happens at The Abbey” Cast Members

If the shows in question are about candlelit dinners in the back of a pick up truck rather than drunken antics in a nightclub, would the community put the torches down? Will the community be satisfied when we get diversity, or will we mock it? When will the community be happy for all of our lifestyles? I believe the LGBTQ Community needs to unite ourselves. Not only to support the few shows expressing our lives, but to encourage the media to green-light more diverse LGBTQ Programs on television. We all are different, but all the same. Let’s light our torches for worthy causes, rather than eating our own.

“What Happens at The Abbey” Trailer